Michael Swickard's new novel about New Mexico

On December 7, 1972 in the first ever night launch, Apollo 17 lifted off from launch pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center on a 12 day mission to the moon. It was the final manned mission for the very large Saturn V rocket. This was a three day on the lunar surface mission that was the third time a Lunar Roving Vehicle was used. The mission set records for time on the moon's surface and time outside of the lunar capsule. New Mexico's Harrison "Jack" Schmitt (on right) was the Lunar Pilot and was the only non-military astronaut to go to the moon. He was a trained geologist and had worked with the other moon astronauts on geological issues. Before entering the Lunar Module for the last time Astronaut Gene Cernan said, "I'm on the surface; and, as I take man's last step from the surface, back home for some time to come, but we believe not too long into the future. I'd like to just say what I believe history will record. That America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow. And, as we leave the Moon at Taurus-Littrow, we leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return: with peace and hope for all mankind. Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17." We are NewsNM say, "Amen!"

NewsNM Update - Houdini the Hermosa dog is in safe hands after she was captured Tuesday. From the Farmington Daily Times - FARMINGTON — Curled up in a ball on the chilly lawn of the Hermosa Middle School football field is a smallish black dog with a white patch on her chest. Her name and history are unknown, but she has decided to make the environs around Hermosa her home, and no one can seem to convince her otherwise. "We've tried for the past week or so to catch this dog," said Animal Control officer Brenda Fitzgerald, who was at the field late Saturday night, setting up a blanket-lined trap at the edge of the running track. Icy snow was spitting out of the sky as the dog dodged bystanders to run across the street to the Hermosa parking lot. Students began noticing the dog a week ago, and Vice Principal Kelly Erickson is updating them on the dog's activities via morning intercom announcements. Erickson has dubbed the dog "Houdini," as she seems to elude all attempts to catch her, including intensive efforts by special education teacher Jamie Voita, who has spent days trying to win the dog over with food and encouraging words. Voita, along with her father, Jim O'Neill, and seventh-grade math teacher Dana Heavner, were out for hours Sunday trying to coax Houdini closer. Although they've made headway, the dog continues to scamper away before anyone can catch her. They believe Houdini has figured out how to get the food out of the trap without tripping it. "I even brought my own dog over here, and they've become great chums. But she won't let people get near her. Read more

From KRQE-TV.com - by Celina Westervelt - TIJERAS, N.M. - This morning it was too dangerous for buses to get Albuquerque Public Schools East Mountain students to school, and KRQE News 13 has learned crews are dealing with more problems than just the weather."Normally we have four trucks and four graders," said North Mountain Supervisor Rick Wafer of the Bernalillo County Public Works Department. "I'm down to one grader and two trucks. "It's just kind of tough, but we get through it."Because of the weather-related mechanical problems, many of the county's trucks are out of commission. It's also been too cold in the morning to start some of the diesel engines. The staffing shortages--they are working with just three people instead of six--are due to transfers and open positions. Saturday an employee flipped one of the plows. He has more than 20 years of experience, and his team says that proves just how bad conditions were. He wasn't badly hurt. Those crews are working 16-hour shifts around the clock trying to clear the roads so that kids, who've already missed two days of school, can get back to class. Tuesday the sun came out and helped melt the snowpacked roads. Wafer predicted travel Wednesday will be a bit slippery but otherwise fine. He says now they're concentrating on widening the snow-covered residential areas, and salting them to prevent refreezing overnight. Read more

NewsNM: Swickard - Regardless of how it is done, can we agree that society needs to know the true identity of those who vote? If so, then we are just discussing the procedures for assuring ourselves of the identity of those who vote. In banking that assurance takes the form of a photo ID. Perhaps it does not in voting. Could we have everyone scan their thumb print for an absolute identity of the voter, not as a criterion to vote but as an ex post facto record of who really voted? Or, should we just let whoever comes to the polls say whatever name they want to say and be glad someone, anyone in this society, votes? From NM Politics.net - By Steven Robert Allen - Many people believe it’s a no-brainer that voters should be required to show a photo ID at the polls. They think any decent, law-abiding member of society carries a photo ID with them wherever they go. I carry one with me. I’m sure you do, too. Why shouldn’t everyone else do as we do? To be honest, before I got involved in voting-rights work, I felt the same way, but I’ve since drastically changed my view. I now realize such proposals are basically 21st-Century descendants of poll taxes or literacy tests, concepts that I’m sure sounded perfectly reasonable in their time. We now realize these obstacles to voting were implemented purely to prevent qualified voters from the most vulnerable segments of our society from casting a ballot. Read commentary

NewsNM: Swickard - this true story has floated around for several years and is appropriate on this Seventh of December when we think about World War II. From ABC News.com - By KI MAE HEUSSNER - It's a story that will forever change the way you think of the phrase, "Get Out of Jail Free." During World War II, as the number of British airmen held hostage behind enemy lines escalated, the country's secret service enlisted an unlikely partner in the ongoing war effort: The board game Monopoly. It was the perfect accomplice. Included in the items the German army allowed humanitarian groups to distribute in care packages to imprisoned soldiers, the game was too innocent to raise suspicion. But it was the ideal size for a top-secret escape kit that could help spring British POWs from German war camps. The British secret service conspired with the U.K. manufacturer to stuff a compass, small metal tools, such as files, and, most importantly, a map, into cut-out compartments in the Monopoly board itself. "It was ingenious," said Philip Orbanes, author of several books on Monopoly, including "The World's Most Famous Game and How it Got That Way." "The Monopoly box was big enough to not only hold the game but hide everything else they needed to get to POWs." Read more

KOB TV - The Public Regulation Commission wants to hear what people think about PNM’s plan to eliminate eight of its payment centers around the state. The PRC will take comment on PNM’s plan during a public hearing Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. in Albuquerque at the African American Performing Arts Center at the Expo New Mexico Fairgrounds, 300 San Pedro NE. Parking is free. PNM has said that only 10 percent of its 550,000 customers use the in-person payment centers. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Inside the Capitol - SANTA FE – On Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 1941, New Mexico's National Guard troops, deployed to the Philippines, knew the Japanese would attack them the same day. They had been watching reconnaissance planes fly over every day, but had orders not to fire. Our reconnaissance planes saw the huge buildup on Formosa. Japan had captured everything to the north, including China. The Philippines were the last major obstacle on the way to Australia. Our men just didn't know when the attack was coming. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, it was about 4 a.m., on December 8, in the Philippines, on the other side of the International Date Line. The attack on the Philippines was planned for 8 a.m., but clouds over Formosa delayed it until noon. Read full story here: News New Mexico

NM Business Journal - New Mexico ranks No. 34 in overall health among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. New Mexico was also ranked No. 34 in 2010. Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Hawaii rank as the healthiest states. Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas are the unhealthiest, according to the rankings. California comes in 24th; New York 18th; Nevada 42nd; Texas 44th. In collaboration with the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention, the rankings show that increases in obesity, diabetes and children in poverty are offsetting improvements in smoking cessation, premature deaths, preventable hospitalizations and cardiovascular deaths. According to the report, New Mexico’s strengths include a low prevalence of binge drinking, low rate of cardiovascular and cancer deaths and low levels of air pollution. Read full story here: News New Mexico

From directorblue.blogspot.com - Why, this must be some sort of statistical -- how you say in English? -- anomaly. Turns out that states which force employees to join unions against their will are inferior to right-to-work states using about any economic measure you can think of. Notice the eight-day difference between right-to-work and forced unionization states. For those of you who live in the latter, you spend eight days every year working for the unions. More News New Mexico

Bizarre Coincidence: Right to Work States Far Superior for the Workers

News New Mexico has confirmed the appearance of Governor Susana Martinez on the radio show at 8:00am on Wednesday December 7th. The Governor will join Jim, Michael, and Rob Nikolewski for discussions on redistricting, Medicaid funding, education reform, job creation, and state energy policies. Please use the contact page to send in your questions for the Governor. We will try to ask as many questions from listeners as possible.

KOB TV - To bill to clean up after the latest snow storm is adding up for New Mexico taxpayers. The New Mexico Department of Transportation said it has spent almost $400,000 on cleanup in Northern New Mexico’s district 4 alone. Costs figure in overtime pay, salt, cinder mix, fuel and equipment. There are six districts in the state. “We have to do what we have to do for the traveling public,” Dominic Pacheco, a district 4 crew member said. District 4 crews have plowed and sanded more than 51,000 miles of road in the area. Read full story here: News New Mexico